


Discography

by FalseProphet (Batmanthegroomer)



Series: Family Business--Canon Divergence [2]
Category: Supernatural
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-10
Updated: 2013-10-14
Packaged: 2017-12-29 00:49:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/998882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batmanthegroomer/pseuds/FalseProphet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate take on Season 9 a multi-chapter canon divergence.</p><p>The Winchester Brothers were under the impression that dealing with warring factions of angels on earth would be their biggest battle yet. As usual, they are wrong. They resort to the same old lies and guilt as usual but this go ‘round that might not cut it.</p><p>Castiel finds himself undeniably human and alone, stranded. Attacked by fallen brothers and sisters who all blame him, Castiel needs a miracle. He is granted one: Gabriel. As usual no-one knows why Gabriel’s been pulled from death, but in the midst of chaos and all-out war, nobody asks questions.</p><p>Benny Lafitte has been hearing things in Purgatory he’s not too pleased with. Partnering with a human woman he manages to escape one more time. Hearing from an old friend that the boys are handling themselves, Benny soon finds himself in trouble and without a friend to call on.</p><p>Kevin Tran could not be angrier to find Crowley alive and under protection from the Winchesters. To distract himself from dreaming about one hundred ways to kill the King of Hell, he turns to two unlikely allies to follow a lead he’s been keeping to himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Benny - Come As You Are

**Author's Note:**

> Technically the beginning of this series even though "He's My (GAY) Thing" was completed first. You don't have to read the aforementioned, obviously, to know what's going on.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benny Lafitte has been hearing things in Purgatory he’s not too pleased with. Partnering with a human woman—whom Benny isn’t quite sure is fully human—he manages to escape one more time. Hearing from an old Winchester friend that the boys are handling, Benny decides to keep himself hidden but he soon finds himself in trouble and without a friend to call on.
> 
> Benny's story picks up a week after the Season 8 Finale.

_Come as you are, as you were,_  
As I want you to be  
As a friend, as a friend, as an old enemy. 

 

Benny rolled his shoulders, giving in to the moan the action birthed. Coming out of Purgatory once riding piggy-back--so to speak--was tough enough, but doing it twice? Benny figured he'd just set some new kinda record; a record he was not keen on keeping up with.

"Everything in place?" 

The vampire turned slowly, grinning. The woman--he used the term loosely--who had helped him breach Purgatory on round two, was smirking. It was almost as if she knew what Benny felt, making sure his body was fully attached to his soul. Benny hadn't learned her name. She'd given him one, sure, but they both knew that wasn't her real name and Benny wasn't really in the mood to care. 

"I think so." He drawled, rolling his head from shoulder to shoulder. "Thanks again, Jewel." He accented, winking in the process. 

The woman laughed, crossing her arms over her chest. She was shorter than Benny by a good deal but he made no pretenses about being able to overpower her. There was something 'off' something 'not quite human' about her. But she had helped Benny and honored her end of a deal, so Benny wasn't going to judge or start asking questions.

"So, what's next for you?" Benny asked politely, grinning up at the moon.

"I have a few loose ends I need to tie up. Then? Who knows." Jewel cocked her head towards Benny, lifting her eyebrows at him through a rather wicked mess of brunette tangles. "What about you? Are you off to find your Winchester?"

"My Winchester?" Benny laughed. "I'm not staking claims, especially knowing Dean like I do. I didn't like what I was hearin' down there so I'm gonna check in on them, make sure they're alive at least, then I'll be on my way. I'm bad luck and those boys don't need any more of that."

"Hmm, tell me about it." Jewel grumbled. She lifted her hand and took a step back. "Well, in that case, take care of yourself, Benny. I don't wanna see you again anytime soon." 

Benny laughed at the smirk. He nodded as Jewel started to walk away.

"Feelin's mutual, darling." 

He narrowed his eyes. He'd put money down that the girl was a demon, he just couldn't place it. She knew too much about the Winchesters for Benny's liking. She knew too much in general for the vampire to be comfortable with her. He'd told her only as much as he needed to in order to get her help and he'd left the rest vague. Which seemed to be how she preferred it. He had no idea how she'd ended up in Purgatory aside from the story she'd given him which was likely to be as fake as her name. She rubbed him the wrong way, made his hair stand on end, but he knew he had bigger problems at the moment.

Number one being how to track down the Winchesters without letting them know he was tracking them down. He didn't like the rumors he was hearing in Purgatory but he'd been honest with Jewel when he'd said he wasn't going back. He wasn't part of their little gang, he couldn't be. He just needed to assure himself they were all right and then he'd find something to do with the long eternity stretching in front of him.

At least it was colorful.

\--

_Take your time, hurry up_  
The choice is yours, don't be late.  
Take a rest, as a friend, as an old memoria  
Memoria 

 

Benny slammed his hands into the steering wheel of his truck--again--and barely missed the horn--again. He growled low in the back of his throat and nearly tossed himself back against the headrest. He threw his hat angrily into the empty passenger's seat. He brought a hand up and rubbed at his temples, breathing slow and trying to regain his composure.

He wasn't a hunter--not in the Winchester sense--and this was killing him. The slow frustration of trying to track down a lead only to come up with nothing. It was a wild goose chase and he hadn't even /seen/ the goose yet. Other hunters knew the name Winchester--everyone did--but nobody knew location. Nobody had seen the brothers for a while either, it appeared. There were rumors that they were somehow connected with this 'meteor shower' the whole world was abuzz about. Apparently it had caused a lot of trouble. You didn't need to know something /else/ existed to know an undetected, globe-wide meteor shower was a little out of the ordinary. Every hunter Benny had talked to was up to their necks in civilians trying to 'get in' on whatever was happening. Between that and the religious fanatics who were losing their minds--as they tended to do--the Winchesters had slipped into the shadows without a trace.

To make matters worse Benny hadn't eaten. His days and nights were blurring together and he'd just kept putting off the inevitable. He'd considered his options and came down to two plausible paths; 1) Animals. It had never been Benny's favorite but it would keep him fed and out of trouble. 2. Killin' the 'bad guys'. Only problem was it put Benny on police radar and staying on top of crime wasn't exactly thrilling. He couldn't ignore it forever or he'd make a big mistake. He just didn't like his choices and part of him kept believing he could just continue to ignore it.

He tapped his thumbs against the wheel, closing his eyes and letting out a hiss through his teeth. He needed to think. He needed to let out his frustrations and calm down and focus on what was important. With the Winchesters temporarily off the radar in the midst of what was likely going to be Hell on earth--ironic and funny as Benny found that--something had to be up. Benny's mind moved towards Castiel and he slammed his hand into the steering wheel again. 

What had happened with the trials? Clearly they hadn't been completed--or maybe they had. Maybe that's what Jewel's real story was. Benny's mind continued to loop over on itself. He groaned and leaned forward, crossing his arms on the wheel and resting his forehead on them. He needed to eat. That was first on the list. Eat and then his mind would be easier to organize. Eat and maybe he could come up with a plan.

He turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot he'd taken up residence in. He had pinned himself between a bunch of trucks in resting at a rest stop and it took some fancy maneuvering to get out. Not needing to sleep left time for hobbies, which in Benny's case turned out to be driving oddly enough. He wasn't some fool with speed on his brain, he was a capable driver who could tackle anything with wheels. He'd even driven an eighteen wheeler in a pinch with no problem.

He pulled onto the highway and tossed his eating choices back and forth in his mind. Human blood would last him longer, would clear his mind better and was just all around more appetising. But animal blood would be quicker and less messy in terms of cleaning up and covering his tracks. Authorities rarely pulled out investigations over dead animals, even ones that seemed to have been drained versus actually eaten. Plus, Benny had done this before--he knew how to make things look natural.

Mind made up Benny pulled off on the next exit. He'd made a good choice as he soon realized the exit dumped him onto a backroad. One direction seemed to lead to civilization judging by the signs lining the exit, but the other direction looked devoid of most human life. Benny took the road less traveled and didn't have to go far to find a dirt road that looked to lead nowhere. He pulled his truck off the road a few miles in and parked it in the midst of some low branching trees. He shoved the keys into the glove compartment, tossed his shirt and shoes into the passenger's seat with his hat and walked into the forest.

Benny took very little time to adapt to a seemingly awkward, crouched walk. Awkward to anyone who didn't understand what was going on. Benny walked on the balls of his feet, arms ready and legs bent. He knew how to move his weight, knew how to trust the ground under his toes, he was a hunter in the most primal sense and in this way the Winchesters had nothing on him. If all demon hunting and people saving was this easy, there'd be nothing but vampire hunters. Benny kept his senses sharp as he let his mind conjure up images of what might be out here suitable for his needs. Texas had quite a wild animal population but Benny needed something rather quick and filling. He had work to do.

He heard a twig snap in the distance, followed by a loud grunt and the sound of something snuffling in the dirt. Wild boar. Benny's mouth quirked up in a vicious grin as his true teeth descended. 

He was silent as his nature suggested as he moved closer, slinking lower to the ground to adjust his center of gravity. The underbrush was dense and willing to give away his position with the smallest of mis-steps. He slid his feet along the dirt and stepped with the natural caution of a tight rope walker. He rounded a large shrub and saw the boar just ahead. It was a sow, a large sow, alone and nosing through the roots of a small sapling. She weighed easily over one hundred pounds, Benny would have put money at about 120lbs in total. She was perfect.

Benny crouched low, leaning forward and putting weight on his front hands. He watched the sow for a moment trying to get a good feeling for her habits. Once he got a good feeling he stretched out his left leg. He looked to be assuming a Yoga pose as he felt around until his toe hit an acorn or some other kind of nut. He flicked it into the clearing and startled the boar. Benny quickly leaned to one side as the sow snorted over to investigate the noise. Her ears were lifted, her eyes alert. The nut caught her nose long enough for Benny to spear-head himself over the bush and tackle the sow to the ground. 

The sow was powerful, but Benny had the upper hand. He shoved his weight onto her, pinning her right shoulder to the ground. He dodged her feet to the best of his ability as he leaned in. From personal experience Benny knew pig skin was enough like human skin that he didn't have to brace himself for the usual sinking sensation of animal skin. Unfortunately he was still very keenly aware that he was drinking a pig and it was more than a little uncomfortable. He sunk his mouthful of teeth into the sow's neck, behind her ear. She continued to struggle for a good few moments while Benny drank greedily. After a while her kicking slowed, stopped and her ear tilted backwards to fall on Benny's cheek.

Benny slowly stood up. He could already feel the heat running through his body and the calm returning to his mind. He would get a few good days off this kill easily, enough time for him to maybe formulate a plan. If he had something solid and reasonable to go on the next time he decided to starve himself, he figured he'd at least have something to be distracted by. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. He retreated to his truck slowly, cheeks flushing to a nice lively color. He might have even be able to pass as a completely healthy human to someone who didn't know exactly what to look for.

He climbed into his truck, put his shoes back on and sighed a long, contented sigh. Now he just needed to find the God-Damned Winchesters.

\--

_Come dowsed in mud, soaked in bleach_  
As I want you to be  
As a trend, as a friend, as an old memoria  
Memoria [x3]

_And I swear that I don't have a gun  
No I don't have a gun [x2] _

 

Benny didn't like being so out in the open, but he understood the need for public eye: safety. This hunter was agreeing to meet with him--knowing full well what Benny was--because he knew something about the Winchesters. Benny didn't particularly like the way the hunter spoke on the phone--he sounded like a damned amateur--but he seemed curious about Benny and eager to help. The vampire had no idea what he was in for, and sitting in plain view of the public was as much for his safety as the hunter's. After all, a hunter couldn't openly attack him in broad daylight... could he?

He sat up a little straighter as a man walked past. He was tall, broad shouldered and carried himself like a man who'd seen war. Benny felt sure when they met eyes that this was the hunter... and was a little put-out when the man simply nodded at him and walked by. Benny's lip twitched up in a slight sneer and he caught the eye of a kid standing behind the hunter. He tried to cover the sneer and gave the young man a polite nod and a shrug. Which was returned, along with a wave and the signal of a finger to indicate 'hold on.'

Benny tilted his head to one side and watched the kid duck into the cafe. He followed the back of the boy's jacket until it was out of view. He shook his head. He glanced behind him over both shoulders but found the only table there empty. So much for assuming the kid had been looking at someone else. Benny straightened again and pulled on a confused expression as the young man walked back out of the cafe with a coffee and a sandwich. He made a bee-line through the crowd and sat down opposite the vampire as if they were old friends.

Benny's mouth fell agape slightly as he boy looked up and grinned. He wasted no time in digging into his sandwich, moaning a little and nodding.

"Oh man, this is good." The young man said, grinning around a mouthful of bread and ham.

"Uh, I'm glad." Benny offered, blinking a few times. He leaned forward. "Listen, kid, I uh... I don't know what you think happened there but I'm actually waiting for someone."

"Oh, I know." The young man smiled and the expression extended to his ears. "It's me."

"Come again?" Benny said incredulously.

"You're waiting for me." The kid smiled wider and nodded once. "You're the vampire, right? The one who's looking for Dean Winchester?"

Benny leaned forward and lifted his hands quickly, attempting to shush the kid. The kid who had just announced in a perfectly casual and not-at-all-a-whisper voice that Benny was a vampire. Benny glanced around but no-one seemed to be paying any attention. The young man returned to appreciating his sandwich.

"I'm supposed to believe... you're a hunter?" Benny said after a moment of watching the boy eat like he hadn't in weeks. He received a happy, bouncy nod.

"Yeah. Oh, man, rude. I'm Garth." Garth held out a hand, the grin never leaving his face. "I'm a buddy of Dean and Sam's."

Benny shook the hand offered, still looking a tad blank in the face. He sat back and let his head roll to the side as he sized Garth up. The boy reminded him vaguely of Bobby Singer, especially the hat. He supposed looking unassuming was a different but useful approach to hunting. He just wondered if the kid was hiding something and was secretly a master of martial arts or somesuch because Benny was fairly certain he'd met a couple imps who could smash the kid's face in. But, Benny was judging a book by it's cover and he knew better.

"All right, then, Garth. Why'd you agree to help me, knowing what I am?"

"Duh, because of Dean. Dude, they're my /friends/. I know what they're up to even when they lie to each other about it. I've seen you and Dean. I know all about Purgatory, man. Both times! Glad to see you back on this side of things."

Benny wasn't sure how he felt about knowing some hunter had such tabs on him but it worked in his favor for once. He soon found himself smiling at Garth, unable to dislodge the boy's bright smile and cheerful attitude.

"Well, nice to know Sam and Dean are teachin' people we ain't all bad."

"Hardly. Sam and Dean couldn't teach a class of asians algebra." Garth held up a hand. "I love them boys but they are a far cry from instructors." Sandwich finished Garth seemed to pull out a serious face. "Now, how can I help you, Benny?"

Benny found himself with a tough decision to make. He needed answers. He needed information. This Garth seemed like a rather trustworthy man but Benny knew that could be a facade. For all Benny knew Garth could have been a hired actor the hunter was planting to test Benny, lure him out, give him false information. The vampire wasn't sure how much information to give away and how much needed to be truth.

"I heard rumors, in Purgatory, rumors I didn't like." Benny started slow, watching Garth for tells. "Folks are sayin' the Winchesters are in trouble. I know they were trying to complete trials to close the gates of Hell for good. I figured that wouldn't make them many friends. But nobody down there had any more information. Just that the gates were still open and the demons were getting grabby."

"Hah. Demons. Right." Garth supplied, shaking his head. "If only it were back to demons."

"What's that mean?"

"Demons are on a back-burner right now, we've got bigger problems on our hands. Now, I'm not saying for sure what happened but it seems like Castiel did some shit and now all the angels are stuck on earth." Garth shook his head. "One big meteor shower all over the globe, at least that's what everyone believes. Truth was it was all the angels, every last feathery one of them. All just, boom. Touch down. Now they're all over the place and they aren't happy."

"From what I've learned of angels, they ain't never happy any way."

"Ooh man, that's the truth!" Garth laughed. "Anyway, they're causing all kinds of trouble. Me an' the other hunters are trying to keep the angel mess in control while Dean and Sam, uh..." Garth hesitated. Benny leaned forward. "Well, let's just say they're indisposed, ok?"

"Indisposed? How?"

"Well, the trials didn't end so well. I guess you kind of figured that. They uh--they left Sammy in real bad shape. Real bad." Garth glanced off and paused for a moment. Benny tried not to rush him. "They're trying to find a way to fix him that doesn't involve angels. Doctors aren't being particularly helpful because uh... they're not sure what's wrong. They were asking all kinds of questions and the police got involved and it turned into a big mess. So they're staying under the radar, only a few of us really know where they are at any given time." Garth grinned. "They're like... our saviors ten times over, man. The short list of friends the Winchesters have is a strong list. We're doing everything we can to help them and protect them until they can start covering /our/ asses again, like they always do."

Benny frowned a little as Garth leaned forward. The hunter put a hand on Benny's arm, resting on the table, and patted him gently. Garth flashed Benny a sympathetic smile and nodded.

"It's nice to add you to that list, Benny. I'm sure the boys will be glad to know you're back in action."

"Now wait a minute," Benny said slowly, "you can't tell them about me."

"Uh, why not?"

"Because I... Because you just can't right now, all right? Look I'm really grateful for all this, Garth, but the Winchesters can't know I'm back. They can't know we talked. You understand?"

"No." Garth said, frowning. "But I guess you gotta have your reasons, right?" Benny didn't like the twitch in the end of Garth's smile. It was a twitch of hurt and distrust.

"Look, I know this is hard to understand, but you gotta trust me. I've /got/ reasons and they ain't what you're thinking, whatever you're thinking. I'm in this with you. I'm still on Team Winchester. I just... I can't let them know I'm here just yet, all right?"

"I still don't get it. You're their friend. You've saved their lives. In the situation that they're in right now, man, they could really use a good cheering up."

"I'm sure they could. But they've got you and the rest of that list you mentioned, right? That will be enough. They've done with much less."

"Oh man, yeah." Garth shook his head, grinning almost fondly. He glanced back at Benny and his smile returned. "All right, Benny. I'll keep my mouth shut. But you better let me know the minute you're ready to open up communications with them." Garth reached into one of his coat pockets and pulled out a cell phone. It was a boxy, old model but it was in good condition. He grinned and slid it across the table to Benny.

"Number is completely untraceable, thanks to some contacts of mine. I'm the only one who's got the number. If you can anyone it'll just show up as unknown. It's a safe line to me and a bunch of good people. If you're ever in a mess, you just give me a call. I'll hook you up." Garth winked.

Benny stared at the phone for a moment. He laughed and set it into his pocket. He shook his head, smiling at Garth. Now, why couldn't Dean catch some of this kid's good attitude?


	2. Dean -- Simple Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Winchester Brothers were under the impression that dealing with warring factions of angels on earth would be their biggest battle yet. As usual, they are wrong. They resort to the same old lies and guilt as usual but this go ‘round that might not cut it.
> 
> Sam & Dean's story picks up only seconds after the Season 8 Finale...

Mama told me when I was young  
Come sit beside me, my only son  
And listen closely to what I say.  
And if you do this  
It will help you some sunny day.

 

Dean blinked furiously. He was watching the sky as it seemed to catch fire and burn. This was going to change everything--and not just for him and Sam--for everyone, everywhere. There couldn't possibly be a media cover up for this one, this had to be huge. How many angels were left in Heaven? Had Castiel ever told him? This was huge.

"Dean..." Sam said hoarsely, throat suddenly tight and dry. "We have to... move. We have to... get out of here."

Sam's warning was punctuated by the landing of an angel not far from them. There was no body--presumably--but something certainly splashed into the water around the small church. Dean turned and found Sam's eyes. They held for a moment and Dean finally broke away, nodding.

"Right, let's get you up." Dean stood and then bent down. He wrapped his arm around Sam's back and pulled an arm over his shoulder. He stood slowly, letting Sam lean onto him and the Impala for support as he stood.

Dean scanned his brother's face worriedly as Sam was unable to take the full of his weight off Dean. He shuffled backwards as gracefully as he could, dragging Sam with him. He pulled open the door and nearly dropped Sam into the seat. He watched as Sam pulled his legs into the car and dropped his head onto the headrest behind him. Brown eyes opened slowly and turned to look at Dean, a softly pained expression on his face.

"Crowley." Sam muttered.

"What?" Dean answered breathlessly, eyebrows raised. Was his brother hallucinating... again?

"In the church. Crowley. We can't... we can't leave him."

"Son of a bitch." Dean chuckled, relieved that his brother seemed of sound mind. He stood back up and glanced at the church from over the door. He nodded.

"You stay here. I'll be right back." He warned Sam, closing the door carefully. He drew a hand down the length of his face to gather his wits. He turned and entered the church.

The back of Crowley's head tilted slightly as Dean's boots hit the floor of the church. Dean narrowed his eyes. Crowley tried to turn his head to get a good look at whomever was sneaking in behind him.

"You can't leave me here." Crowley said, voice still drunk on the nearly completed purification. He sounded slurred and panicked.

"I know." Dean growled, walking past the demon to try and think. He turned around and crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't have long to stand around and debate with himself but he didn't have many options. Crowley looked like the victim of an occult attack and Sam was knocking on Heaven's door. If Dean shoved Crowley into the backseat any cop in his right mind would pull them over. Dean could count on Sam to back him up--provided his brother stayed conscious--but he couldn't trust Crowley to keep his mouth shut. He needed some way to get Crowley to the bunker without anyone seeing him. His mind provided that Castiel could... and the clench in his chest made him curse out loud.

"Please." Crowley said quietly.

"Shut up. I'm thinking."

"Something's coming." Crowley breathed quickly, panic clearly on his features. "I can't--I can't be here. It's going to kill me."

"What's coming? What's going to kill you?" Dean snapped, stepping forward until he found himself inside the demon circle with the King of Hell. Crowley flinched as if Dean were about to hit him.

"I don't know but I can hear it. It's buzzing--like a high pitched electric whine--and it's buzzing /my name/. Please. Get me out of here."

Dean covered his face with his hands, drawing them up into his hair as he turned away. He was frayed--he could feel it--struggling at the end of his rope. There was no ledge to swing for, nothing but death beneath him and his only option was climbing up and hoping the rope could hold.

'Cas,' Dean thought silently, turning to look at Crowley over his shoulder, 'buddy, I hope you're in better shape than I am.'

Dean found himself holding eye contact with Crowley. The demon looked possessed with fear and Dean had to admit a part of him was enjoying the sensation. The longer he basked however the longer he realized that something big and bad enough to scare the King of Hell wasn't likely to spell good news for the brothers. He quickly broke the look and moved forward. Crowley again flinched away from him and Dean formulated a plan.

"Knock it off, as much as I would love to beat your ass we apparently don't have time." Dean roughly began freeing Crowley from the chair. He found the demon to be far too compliant for his liking, he wanted at least a little fight. He found himself trying not to be so rough, then remembering who this was and all he'd done, and being rougher than was usual. Crowley kept... /flinching/. As Dean released the last of the locks binding the demon to the chair, Crowley just about crumpled forward. Dean hesitated but leaned down and caught him before his face met the floor.

"Man up already," Dean hissed, digging his toe against the devil's trap. He hauled Crowley to his feet by the upper arms, grinding his teeth together when the first few attempts failed. At least Dean could take solace in the fact that the last trial had been as hard on Crowley as it had been on Sam.

"Are you... taking me out of here?" Crowley asked quietly.

"Yes." Dean sneered, trying not to pull Crowley off his feet.

"Thank you." Crowley whimpered. "Thank you--"

"Crowley, I swear to whatever deity might decide to listen to me at this point, if you don't shut up I will cram my fist so far down your throat you'll be shitting fingernails."

Dean escorted Crowley out to the Impala as carefully as he felt the antagonist deserved. He steered them along the passenger's side, peeking in at Sam who offered a weak nod of approval. Crowley's feet stalled out near the back door and Dean let out a laugh.

"Ha, yeah right. Like I trust you to sit in the back of the Impala."

"Wh-what?"

"Keep moving, Crowley. You're riding in cargo." Dean shoved the demon forward, walking around him to unlock Baby's trunk.

"The... the trunk? You're putting me in the damned trunk!" Crowley shouted incredulously. He looked from the tight compartment to Dean.

"Yes. Get in."

"No. No I'm not getting into the damned trunk!"

Dean rounded on Crowley and the demon jerked backwards. Dean snatched out his hand and grabbed the thick iron collar around Crowley's neck. He pulled the demon closer to him and narrowed his eyes. He could read nothing but fear in the demon's expression and at that moment nothing felt quite as right as that.

"Listen to me you soul-less waste of space, you're going to get in this damned trunk if it's the last thing I do tonight. You're going to go in on your own or I am going to fold you up smaller than the dick you started out with and shove you in there myself. My brother nearly /died/. My closest friend is, damnit I don't know where but since angels are falling from the damned sky I can only imagine it's not good. All that leads to one reality--I am /not/ the kind of man you want to push tonight, Crowley. Now you have a choice to make. You get in this trunk or you become a pinata for everything I'm stuck with right now. What's it gonna be?"

Dean released Crowley roughly, still staring into eyes he expected to run black. It took less than a second for Crowley to make his decision. The demon quickly darted past Dean and clambered his way into the trunk. He slid in as far as he could go, tucking his hands against his chest. He stared up at Dean as the Winchester grabbed the top of the trunk, staring down at him.

"That's what I thought."

Dean slammed the trunk closed.

\--

Take your time... Don't live too fast,  
Troubles will come and they will pass.

 

"Dean, pull over."

Dean jerked his eyes away from the road and glanced to his brother. Sam hadn't so much as twitched since they'd left the church, now all of the sudden an order.

"What?"

"Dean... no questions. Now." 

Dean met Sam's eyes and frowned. His brother still looked like death was on his heels. Dean quickly pulled off to the side of the road. No sooner had the car slowed to a crawl--right before Dean could pull the parking break--Sam threw open the door and stumbled out.

"Sammy!" Dean put Baby in park and almost broke the keys in half as he pulled them from the ignition. He darted around the front of the Impala and slowed. Sam was bent double on his knees, one arm wrapped over his stomach. He was wretching painfully, whole body going into spasms, and spitting a frightening amount of blood onto the ground in front of him. Dean slowly approached, eyebrows knitted together in concern as Sam gasped for breath.

"I thought," Sam gasped, throat raw, "I thought you said /completing/ the trials would kill me?" He looked up at Dean, wiping the back of his hand aross his mouth and smearing blood. Dean narrowed his eyes, his face contorting in pain.

"Yeah. That's--that's what we were told." Dean shook his head. "Look it's probably just going to take some time, all right? You were about three seconds away from finishing up back there, so you're probably just gonna need some time to recover."

"And if I don't?"

"You will." 

"Dean," Sam slowly moved to stand, spitting once or twice in the process to try and rid his mouth of the foul taste. "Our lives have pretty much been built on lies. We have to think about what's going to happen if--"

"No 'if', Sammy. No 'if'. You're /not/ going to die. That's it. End of story. You're the one who's been trying to convince me there's a future, remember? That's pretty much all you've done since I got out of Purgatory. You're the one who's got plans, Sam, hopes and dreams. You're /not/ going to die until you get that, ok?"

"Dean..."

"Sam--this isn't up for debate. Are you done puking now? Can we get back in the car?" Dean indicated the Impala, eyes on Sam's. The two stared for a long moment, Sam's eyes still and steady while Dean's roamed between Sam's eyes looking for compliance. Slowly Sam looked away and nodded.

"All right." 

Dean waited, watching as Sam slid back into the car. He sighed and spared a glance upwards before returning to the car himself. He welcomed Baby's purr over the tense silence which had settled in. As always there were things that needed talking about--things that needed brought into the open--and as always they would remain just under the surface. Just visible enough for both men to acknowledge that they were there and tread carefully around them. 

As Dean pulled out onto the highway he clicked on the radio. He pulled a face as he recognized Blondie's "Heart of Glass." He heard Sam snort next to him. Dean couldn't help but smirk. He found himself glancing over at Sam a few seconds later to see his brother bobbing his head to the music. 

"Sometimes Dean, I wonder if this car can't think for herself."

"Baby? Oh Sammy, you've pretty much owned this car twice now, you're just now starting to wonder?" Dean rubbed the steering wheel suggestively. "Baby here is fully sentient, aren't you, sweetheart?" As Dean pulled his hand away the AC made a sputtering noise and died out. Dean shot Sam a look. 

"You hurt her feelings." He admonished, getting a honest laugh out of Sam. 

When silence settled back in it was comfortable. The questions were still there, the problems were obviously not going away, but at least now they had insulation. It was normal even if it wasn't healthy and perfect. Dean heard Sam shifting and he glanced over. He caught a look of pain across Sam's features and knew his brother was trying to hide it. He watched Sam's jaw tense.

"So what are you naming your kids?" Dean said quickly. He kept his eyes on the road but felt Sam's gaze on him: Sam's confused, searching look.

"What?"

"Your kids." Dean grinned. "These kids you're gonna have with your normal wife in your three story house with a white picket fence."

"Uh, kids? Dean I don't even have a girlfriend right now don't you think starting with kids is a little... reaching?"

"Nah. Everybody who wants kids has thought about it, Sam. Can't fool me. C'mon, watcha got?"

"Uh..."

"'Cause I was thinking Deana for a girl, yanno, gotta keep the family name."

"Deana?" Sam snorted. "That's--Dean that's stupid."

"Well you're not going with Samuel the Third."

"And why not? That's a family name too."

"Well, sure, but look at the other Samuels our family has put out. You really want to do that again?" Dean found himself grinning rather stupidly as he earned another laugh out of Sam. That was the goal, he realized with a slow breath. Sam had faced down death--again--and now it was time to unwind, to relax, to remind his brother of all the good Sam Winchester still had left to do.

"Well, how about... Mary?" Sam offered, voice quiet. He turned his head and caught Dean's eyes. 

"I like that." Dean admitted, voice tight. He tapped nervously to the beat of a song as a police cruiser pulled beside them and then sped off. He was in no mood to deal with cops. 

"And... for my nephew?" Dean prodded. He heard Sam sigh and shift in the seat next to him. "Oh man, that bad? C'mon dude. You gotta let me know so we can work on getting cooler names for my future nieces and nephews."

"Robert Benjamin." Sam said in one breath, eyes on the road outside. 

Dean had to take a slow breath, feeling his chest tighten. Why he had thought this particular topic would keep things light and amusing he wasn't sure. Obviously Sam would honor their dead friends in his children. But... to hear Benny on his brother's tongue so reverently? Dean shook his head and turned his eyes back to the road.

"Awesome." He whispered under his breath.

"Well, what about you?" Sam turned, eyeing his brother's profile. 

"What? Me and kids? Sammy, this is Dean Winchester. Forever bachelor. Sorry man, you're not gonna get to be an uncle in this lifetime." 

"Really? That's it? You're sure?" Sam's voice hitched a little and he fell into a fit of coughs. Dean tried not to watch his brother--he was driving after all--but the blood splatter on Sam's hands as he tried to cover his mouth was hard to miss.

"Sam?"

"I'm ok. Just--after shocks." Sam offered, clearing his throat and wincing. 

Dean watched from the corner of his eye as Sam shifted. 

"Hey, lay the seat back. Get some sleep." Dean suggested, turning off the radio.

"You sure?" Sam said weakly, the coughing fit having taken a lot out of him. "Dean, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, just like old times, right? When we used to drive state-to-state chasing jobs? Before our lives became Heaven's Favorite Sitcom."

"You're safe to drive?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean fixed Sam with an uneasy gaze.

"I just... There's nothing you need to get off your chest? Nothing you want to talk about? You're perfectly fine with just driving on for hours, alone, with all that's happened just... sitting on your shoulders?"

"Sam, how is this different from any other day?" 

"The angels /fell/, Dean." Sam turned to look at his brother, to gauge a reaction. "This changes everything. And Cas--"

"What about him?"

"We don't have any idea what happened to him. If all the angels fell, Dean..."

Dean shook his head and refocused his eyes on the road. He set his jaw, barely avoiding grinding his teeth. He doubled his grip on the steering wheel with both hands until his knuckles were white. Sam took the hint. He sighed and slapped his thighs in exhasperation. He shifted, pushed the seat into a full recline and tried to make himself comfortable. Everything hurt. He could feel a fever prickling all over his skin leaving him feeling bruised and sweaty and just damned miserable. His head was pounding and his stomach did not appreciate the percussion. His arms burned and his heart felt like it was going to leap out of his chest. But at least he was here, with Dean, in the Impala. At least this time--as he forced himself to sleep--he could pretend like this was just another day.

\--

Go find a woman and you'll find love,  
And don't forget son,  
There is someone up above.

 

Dean opened the passenger's side door of the Impala. The gas station he'd pulled into seemed completely empty, which was fine by Dean. He lifted his foot and gently nudged Sam in the shin.

"Hey, rise and shine Sammy." He called as he leaned onto the open door. He grinned crookedly as he was met with a sleep-drunk gaze. He didn't like the flush around Sammy's cheeks, the sweat in his hair. It wasn't normal post-sleep heat.

"Where are we?" Sam croaked, clearing his throat and wincing heavily.

"Not far from the bunker, another few hours. You need to get up and stretch your legs. Take a piss. How you feeling?"

"Like uh... like I tried to close the Gates of Hell and failed." Sam answered in a strained voice, though he grinned towards the end.

"Man, gotta suck." Dean's voice was slathered in fake empathy. "Now get your overlarge ass out of the car and walk around."

"Sure thing, mom." Sam swung his legs out of the car. Dean moved away to give his brother space and tried not to hover as Sam took his time standing. 

As Sam wandered off to find the restroom--or a good tall bush--Dean leaned onto the Impala, pressing his forehead against her cool roof. He took a long, slow breath and closed his eyes.

"Cas? You there?" He started quietly, voice just barely above a whisper, breath leaving ghosts against the Impala's finish. "I uh... man, I'm not sure what happened but--I don't care. I know you... you were trying to fix things and this uh, this doesn't seem like fixed. I don't know what you did or--didn't--do but I don't care, all right? I know you think I'm pissed at you. I'm not. Just... come on back, man. We'll figure this out. Sam--Sam is uh, he's not getting better. He looks like he's getting worse. I don't know what to do, Cas. Man. We need you here. I-I need you here." Dean slowly opened his eyes. He took in a long, slow breath and stood up. He wasn't sure why he glanced around expectantly, old habits died hard he supposed. It didn't make the emptiness around him hurt any less. He shook his head and turned to finally tend to his car.


End file.
